Too Late
by WithoutLove.LifeIsLike
Summary: Edward admitted that he would have come back for Bella eventually. New Moon AU. Bella never jumps off the cliff and eventually Edward makes his way back to Forks. It seems that Bella moved on with Jacob; Edward just hopes he's not too late. Rated T.
1. Bella

**BELLA**

"Prom is, like, a right of passage!" Jacob argued with me as we walked from the Rabbit to my door.

"I went to prom last year," I pointed out, taking his hand and pulling him closer to me. He smiled and kissed my nose. I loved when he did that.

"Well I didn't."

"You kind of did," I giggled, remembering him crashing my prom the year before. I didn't let myself think about anything else that night.

"Doesn't count," he chuckled, stopping at my front door. "Is Charlie home yet?" I hesitated before answering. For the past couple of months, whenever things began to get heated between Jacob and me I would stop it inexplicably. He thought I was protecting my virtue. In truth, I was protecting my heart. As much as I loved Jake – and I did love him – I loved Edward still, too. I would let nothing of consequence happen between Jacob and I until I was over Edward completely. It wouldn't be fair to any of us otherwise.

"No," I finally said. "He'll be gone until tomorrow afternoon." He waited for the invitation. I didn't give him one. "I love you," I offered with a smile I knew he couldn't resist. He stared at my face a moment and right on queue he sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Love you, too, Bells," he whispered, kissing my lips soundlessly. He smiled as I opened the door, but the smile didn't last long. He pulled the door shut and brought me to his chest, looking around frantically over my head.

"Jake, what's wrong?" I whispered into his neck.

"A vampire," he whispered back. I sucked in a breath. There hadn't been a vampire around Forks since Jacob's pack killed Victoria in February. It was almost May. I had to stop myself from hoping it was…him. He wasn't coming back.

"Let's go," he said, giving me no chance to object as he pulled me towards the Rabbit. It was then that a silver Volvo caught my eye around the corner of my house.

"No – Jake…" I stopped him. His eyes followed my stare and he tensed up immediately.

"I thought they weren't coming back," he growled. _No shit, I thought that too._ I wriggled out of Jacob's arms and he reluctantly let me go. I walked inside and felt Jacob follow after me. It took all of four seconds for Edward to show himself. I didn't see where he came from, but all of the sudden he was next to me and it was easy to breathe again. Jacob grabbed my hand and pulled me back towards him before I could argue. My eyes did not leave Edward's.

"Bella…" he breathed.

"Edward," I exhaled back. It didn't take long for me to become acutely aware of the awkward situation.

"May I speak with you alone?" Edward begged quietly. His eyes flickered to Jacob's momentarily. Edward winced slightly.

"Yes." I didn't hesitate. Jacob eyes shot to me. I immediately felt guilty for hurting Jacob like I knew I was. Edward looked between us.

"I'll wait in your room," he offered. Jacob growled. "Perhaps the kitchen would be more appropriate," he reconsidered. Before I could blink he was out of my sight again.

"Do you want me to wait?" Jacob asked. I knew what he wanted me to say. I closed my eyes as I said the words that I knew would hurt him almost as badly as Edward had hurt me.

"No. This could be a while." He kissed my forehead and whispered in my ear before taking off.

"I love you. Don't forget that. And don't forget that you love me too." I took a human minute for myself before entering the kitchen.

"Bella," he whispered in a tone that I had never heard him use before. "God, I missed you… I just… May I…?" He asked, coming closer with each word. I didn't answer him, but instead I closed the space between us and leapt into his arms. He caught me effortlessly and squeezed me tight. I couldn't help it when the tears escaped my eyes. After a few minutes, he let my feet touch the ground but didn't further the distance between us. His cold hand brushed the bangs away from my eyes before stopping at my cheek.

"What are you doing here?" I managed.

"I tried… so hard, Bella. Truly I did. I tried to keep you safe, to stay away. But I can't do it. I won't. I can't live without you." His thumbs were tracing my lips softly as he talked. "I'm so sorry, Bella. For everything. For leaving, for coming back. But if you'll let me, I'll spend the rest of your life making it up to you. I love you," he added in a whisper. Our faces were so close that our noses were touching. He began leaning in, but before I could feel his chilled lips on mine, I turned my head to the side, my cheek catching the kiss. This didn't stop him, however. He lightly kissed his way across my jaw line and around my forehead. I let it happen. I hadn't felt that good since my birthday in September. He was just about to kiss the tip of my nose when suddenly Jacob's picture popped into my mind. I pushed Edward back and he went along with my motions, both of us knowing that I could never actually push him away

"You left, Edward. You didn't want me."

"Lies," he explained. "And you believed me so easily, despite the countless times that I told you the truth… that I told you how much I loved you."

"You left me broken. And you didn't come back."

"I'm back now," he pleaded. "Let me put you back together."

"I don't need you…" I began. His eyes widened. "…to put me back together. _You left_. You were gone. And I… moved on," I desperately lied like he had done to me, apparently.

"Jacob Black?" He guessed quietly. "I suppose this is good. What I had hoped for anyway."

"Edward…"

"I apologize, sincerely, for coming back. The least I could have done was keep my promise to stay away." He began to walk towards the front door.

"Edward! Wait!"


	2. Jacob

**JACOB**

"Prom is, like, a right of passage!" I laughed as I walked Bella to her front door.

"I went to prom last year," she reminded me. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes and instead smiled when I felt her take my hand and pull me closer to her. I gave into the urge to kiss her softly on the nose. She nearly swooned right then. She loved when I did that.

"Well I didn't," I told her. I only crashed hers. I didn't go through all the other motions. You know: asking a girl, posing for awkward pictures, and taking her to dinner. All the typical dude stuff.

"You kind of did," she giggled. Technically it was true, but I didn't agree with her out loud.

"Doesn't count," I told her instead, listening the reasons why in my head. "Is Charlie home yet?" She hesitated. The past few months Bella had stopped all things physical with us when she felt herself getting to into it. At first I thought she was just keeping her virginity as long as she could hold onto it, which I was fine with. I slowly realized that it had more to do with Edward than her innocence. Could I blame her for being so reluctant after having her heart broken like that? She finally answered.

"No. He'll be gone until tomorrow afternoon." I knew she wouldn't invite me in. I waited for her guilty goodbye. "I love you," she smiled her smile that I couldn't resist. I sighed and rolled my eyes. When would she understand how much I loved her? Too much for her to worry about not inviting me in when Charlie wasn't home.

"Love you, too, Bells," I whispered against her lips before kissing them. I waited and watched as she opened her front door. The smell hit me at once. I pulled the door shut with one hand and pulled Bella close to me with the other one. I searched over her head but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Jake, what's wrong?" She asked. I felt her breath on my neck.

"A vampire," I whispered back. I felt her suck in her breath. "Let's go," I began leading her back to the Rabbit when I felt her suddenly tense up and stop me from moving her any further.

"No – Jake…" I followed her stare to the silver Volvo and I felt myself become as tense as she was.

"I thought they weren't coming back," I said through my teeth before I could stop myself. I tried to hold onto her tighter while she attempted to rid herself of my grasp. Eventually I gave in, figuring it would only be a matter of time before this happened anyway. I followed her inside and my nose burned at the proximity between me and the leech. I didn't see where he came from, but all of the sudden he was next to Bella. I took her hand and pulled her back towards me. Whether it was out of protectiveness or jealousy, I don't know. I looked down at Bella whose eyes were locked on her precious bloodsucker's.

"Bella." The way he said her name make me cringe almost as much as it made Bella relax. He exhaled it as though now that he was in her presence, he was finally home.

"Edward." It was worse hearing the same tone come out of her mouth.

"May I speak with you alone?" He pleaded. I imagined suddenly what I would do to him, given the chance, for hurting Bella the way he did. And then having the nerve to come back? His eyes flickered to me and I remembered that he could read my mind. I made the effort to think about things he'd never want to see. How Bella had been in the first few months after he left, for example. He winced.

"Yes," Bella said, not an ounce of regret in her voice. My eyes shot to her. Edward looked between us and offered to wait for Bella in her room. I growled at the suggestion.

"Perhaps the kitchen would be more appropriate," he corrected himself. I suddenly couldn't see him but I knew he wasn't far.

"Do you want me to wait?" I asked, almost begging her with my eyes not to say what I knew she would anyway.

"No," she finally said. I could almost feel my heart begin to split. I knew it would only get worse if her conversation with Edward went how I knew deep down Bella wanted it to go. "This could be a while." I kissed her forehead, pouring myself into it. I leaned down to whisper in her ear words that I knew wouldn't help me. Words that I knew would only make her feel even guiltier than she already would at the end of this. Words that were heartbreakingly true. Words that could be my last chance.

"I love you. Don't forget that. And don't forget that you love me too." I walked outside and waited for the inevitable.


	3. Edward

**EDWARD**

I sat in her room, trying to resist the urge to smell her pillow that I knew she slept on every night. To touch the jacket she had thrown carelessly across her deck chair. To listen to the music she had last played in her room. Giving in to the last urge, I made my way to the CD player and pressed play. Before I could wonder why the player was empty, I heard an unfamiliar engine stop outside the house. I sat by the window and listened to the conversation below. The car door slammed and I heard a male – not Charlie – chuckle.

"Prom is like a right of passage!" I recognized the voice at the same moment that I recognized the disgusting scent. Jacob Black.

"I went to prom last year." If I could cry, I would have at that moment. It has been months since her beautiful voice had filled my ears.

"Well I didn't." Yes he did. He spent quite a bit of time on the dance floor with my date, in fact.

"You kind of did," she giggled. Whatever anger or frustration I had just had melted away at the sound of her laugh. Their footsteps stopped.

"Doesn't count. Is Charlie home yet?" I held in a growl at the dog's question. What an outrageously inappropriate question to ask a lady! And why was it _taking_ so long for Bella to answer? _Just lie and say yes!_ I wanted to shout at her.

"No. He'll be gone until tomorrow afternoon." _Excuse me?_ I waited to see what would be said next. I prepared myself for the invitation that may follow and quickly decided what action I would take in that scenario. But what she said next hurt worse than any invitation she may have offered him.

"I love you." Again, if tears could fall.

"Love you, too, Bells." He whispered it, but I heard it. I listened for his thoughts and didn't know how to feel when I realized how true what he said was. I was second-guessing my decision to come back. After all, this is what I had wanted for her, wasn't it? I was about to escape through her window when I heard her front door open only to be immediately shut again.

"Jake, what's wrong?" I heard her muffled words.

"A vampire." Bella sucked in her breath. What did that mean? Was she frightened? Relieved? A selfish part of me wished she were hopeful. Maybe her thoughts had gone to me.

"Let's go." So that was it. He was taking her. Finishing what I had started when I left all those months ago.

"No – Jake…" She stopped him. Why? I looked into his thoughts again and saw a picture of my Volvo. I knew I should have run here. But if she saw it… and she didn't want to go… that meant I still had a chance! There was still doubt in her mind; I could still fight for her!

"I thought they weren't coming back." It was silent for a moment before I heard the door creak open again. Two pairs of footsteps trailed in. I was downstairs before they could wonder where I was. My eyes locked with Bella's as Jacob took her hand and pulled her into him. I couldn't be angry; I would have reacted the same way had the situation been reversed.

"Bella," I said without meaning to. I was taking everything in at once in fear it would be my last chance. I sucked in a deep breath, inhaling her scent so deeply that it burned as it did on the day we first met. I looked in her eyes, mesmerized by her chocolate stare. Her heartbeat was better than any song I could have heard on her CD player. I longed to taste her gorgeous lips just one more…

"Edward," she exhaled. Hearing her say my name was like having all the life that was once sucked out of my pumped back in.

"May I speak with you alone?" I asked.

"Yes." Jacob's eyes shot to hers.

"I'll wait in your room," I offered, wanting to give Jacob his chance to talk her out of it. Instead of recognizing my kindness, he growled. I realized my mistake immediately. "Perhaps the kitchen would be more appropriate." I hurried to the kitchen and failed to resist listening to the conversation I knew they were having.

"Do you want me to wait?" I grimaced at the thought. His hearing was almost as good as mine.

"No." I silently thanked whatever higher power there was helping me. "This could be a while." Good. That meant she actually wanted to talk and she didn't just want to yell and throw me out, demanding I never come back like I had once promised her. I heard him kiss her but I couldn't tell where. What he said next was whispered, but I heard it as clear as if he had been shouting it in his thoughts. Maybe he was.

"I love you. Don't forget that. And don't forget that you love me too." Jacob left the house but didn't go far. I guess he was planning on listening in anyway. She took her time before meeting me in the kitchen.

"Bella…" I said again before I could stop myself. Suddenly I was walking closer to her, wanting – no needing – to feel her body against mine in some way. I just wanted to touch her. "God… I just… May I…?" She didn't answer, but leapt into my arms willingly. I caught her and held her against me as tightly as I could without hurting her still as breakable as ever body. I felt tears on my shoulder and squeezed just a little bit harder. For minutes I held her while she pulled herself together. I put her down – but didn't allow any additional space between us – when she stopped crying. I pushed away her bangs so I could see her eyes and my hand rested on her cheek.

"What are you doing here?" This was no time for cheap excuses. I spilled my heart out to her with more honesty than I had ever offered before.

"I tried… so hard, Bella. Truly I did. I tried to keep you safe, to stay away. But I can't do it. I won't. I can't live without you." I hadn't realized that my hand had moved down and my thumb was tracing her lip. "I'm so sorry, Bella. For everything. For leaving, for coming back. But if you'll let me, I'll spend the rest of your life making it up to you. I love you." Our noses were almost touching. I leaned in slowly, expecting to catch her lips with mine, but at the last second she turned away causing my lips to collide with her cheek. I would take it. I had almost forgotten how good it felt to kiss her. I continued to kiss my way up her jaw and across her forehead. I was going down to kiss the tip of her nose when she finally made a move to stop me. I went along with her motion of pushing me away, both of us knowing she physically couldn't do it on her own.

"You left, Edward. You didn't want me." Her voice was on the edge of breaking. I took a moment to wonder what I had done so wrong that had led her to believe that filthy lie so easily.

"Lies," I begged her to understand. "And you believed me so easily, despite the countless times that I told you the truth… that I told you how much I loved you."

"You left me broken. And you didn't come back." The words cut me like a knife would cut me if I had the skin of a human.

"I'm back now. Let me put you back together." I was ready to get down on my knees and beg.

"I don't need you to put me back together." My eyes widened at the realization that this was true. She didn't need me like I needed her anymore. And that was my fault. "_You left._ You were gone. And I… moved on." Knowing it was true and hearing her tell me were two incomparable pains.

"Jacob Black? I suppose this is good. What I had hoped for anyway." I wasn't thrilled that she had taken solace in a mongrel, but at least I knew he could protect her from the same things I could. Maybe even more. After all, even now, not being here, he was protecting her from me.

"Edward…"

"I apologize sincerely for coming back," I interrupted. "The least I could have done was keep my promise to stay away." I began to walk towards the door.

"Edward! Wait!"


	4. Two Princes

**EDWARD**

"Edward! Wait!" I turned around, wondering if maybe I had given up too easily. Maybe she wanted me to fight for her as much as I wanted to. There were tears running down her cheeks and I gave into my natural urge to wipe them away. She trembled beneath my touch and I let myself briefly hope it wasn't over yet.

"I can't watch you leave again and not try and stop you."

"Just say the word and I'll stay." God, Bella… please say the word.

"It isn't that simple," she bit her lip. Oh, I missed that.

"Why not?" I challenged her.

"Because I love Jacob," she spoke each word with determination.

"You love me too," I reminded her solemnly, hoping my words were still true.

"You left me once. How do I know you won't do it again?" Her voice was shaky and uncertain.

"Because I came back."

"After you promised you wouldn't." I bowed my head with despair.

"I know."

"How do I know you won't leave again?" She repeated.

"Because I love you." Suddenly the sweet smell of Bella was overpowered by the stench of the mutt.

"So do I. And I have a history of keeping my promises," Jacob interrupted. Against my natural instinct, I kept my posture completely vertical.

"If she tells me she doesn't want me… I'll leave right now and never come back," I promised. And I would. I would keep my last promise to her no matter how much it killed me… or caused me to live forever with pain, as my case would be. Both Jacob and I stared at Bella, wondering whose heart she was about to break.

**JACOB**

"Edward! Wait!" What?! That ridiculous sob story and cheesy speech had been enough? I had even thought for a short moment that maybe I was worrying over nothing. Maybe he had really hurt her beyond anything an apology could fix. My heart ached for Bella's sake if that were the case, but soared selfishly for the possibility that seeing him again was what she needed to get over him once and for all, allowing herself to move on with her life and move on with me. But when she called him back, I knew all hope was lost. Even if it didn't happen tonight, it would only be a matter of time before she broke my heart and begged him back. I listened for his response to her request, but it wasn't Edward who spoke next. It was Bella.

"I can't just watch you leave again and not try and stop you." Oh, Bella.

"Just say the word and I'll stay." I clenched my fists and resisted phasing.

"It isn't that simple."

"What not?" Yeah, why not? She either loved me or she loved him, right?

"Because I love Jacob." Those words should have made me want to sing. But I knew Bella better than that. I knew that tone. She said she loved me as an excuse not to let herself fall for him again; not a reason why she couldn't.

"You love me, too." No shit.

"You left me once. How do I know you won't do it again?" Oh no. This wasn't good for me. She wanted him to convince her to go back to him, and he was going to do everything he could to do just that.

"Because I came back."

"After you promised you wouldn't." I'm glad she at least wasn't making this easy for him.

"I know." Is that all the bloodsucker had to say? Even I could do better than that.

"How do I know you won't leave again?" God, Bella. Make this worse for me, why don't you? She was basically begging for a reason to forgive him. I could no longer just sit back and pretend I couldn't hear them anymore.

"Because I love you," he told her as I entered the room.

"So do I," I said furrowing my eyebrows. "And I have a history of keeping my promises," I added with false hope that I could still change her set mind.

"If she tells me she doesn't want me… I'll leave right now and never come back." Yeah, never come back. I've heard that before. Both Edward and I stared at Bella, both of us waiting for her to say the words that would break my heart.

**BELLA**

"Edward! Wait!" There were tears falling and I couldn't help but feel wonderful when Edward's cold fingers wiped them away. "I can't watch you leave again and not try and stop you," I explained.

"Just say the word and I'll stay." It would be so easy. Things would continue as though he had never left. But he did leave. Could I forgive and forget that so easily?

"It isn't that simple," I bit my lip.

"Why not?" I wanted to scream at him, _because you left me!_

"Because I love Jacob." It wasn't a lie. But it wasn't anything more than an excuse either.

"You love me, too." Why did he have to go and say that?

"You left me once. How do I know you won't do it again?" I wanted him to make it all better.

"Because I came back."

"After you promised me you wouldn't." I felt guilty for saying that when I saw the shame in his eyes. Then I immediately got angry at him for making me feel guilty about being angry with him.

"I know," he said quietly.

"How do I know you won't leave me again?" I _begged_ him to make it all better.

"Because I love you."

"So do I," Jacob interrupted. How long had he been there? "And I have a history of keeping my promises." Oh God, Jacob, shut up.

"If she tells me she doesn't want me… I'll leave right now and never come back." I grimaced at the thought. Suddenly, both pairs of eyes were on me. I quickly realized they were waiting on me to make a decision. To choose between them. To break the heart of someone I loved.


	5. Epilogue

**EDWARD**

"Jacob…" I closed my eyes and let my head fall. She chose the dog. I broke her and I was too late to repair the damage. Before I could wrap my head around Bella's decision, the wolf began to laugh. I was going to reprimand him for being a sore winner but instead decided to see what exactly it was he found so funny. Looking into his mind, I was shocked at what I saw. I looked up to face him. "I'm so sorry," she continued. My eyes met hers and I felt them grow. She had chosen me. Masochistic, selfish, unworthy, monstrous me. I wasn't surprised to hear Jacob shouting at me and it only took me a moment to realize he was actually throwing me his thoughts.

_If I ever hear you hurt her again – well let's just say I won't leave so quietly next time._ I looked down at my feet. He was expecting a next time. I nodded slightly to assure him that he was heard. When he was out of the room I looked back up at Bella.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" I asked her, unsure of what I wanted her to say. I was still struggling between my need to protect her and my more selfish need to have her in my life. But I couldn't think that way. That's what got us in trouble last time.

"Yes," her voice didn't falter. I breathed a sigh of release. "I'm going to go talk to him." I was surprised at her assertiveness. She left no room to argue – not that I would. She hesitated to follow him, however.

"I'll wait," I told her. Still no movement. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere," I promised her softly. She eyed me wearily and moved slowly out the door. I listened carefully as her footsteps got farther away.

"Don't say anything, Bella. It'll only make this harder." I couldn't help but feel badly for the pooch. I knew what it was like to lose Bella; it wasn't easy. And I couldn't help but feel eternally grateful for Jacob's presence in Bella's life. Because as angry as I was at myself for letting her go, and as jealous as I was of the man who could hold Bella in a way that I could not, Jacob took care of her while I was gone. He became her reason to wake up in the morning and I could never truly hate anybody – or anything – with that power.

"Don't regret us. Please," she sounded tortured at the fact that she was hurting the man who had once held her together.

"Bells…" I cringed at his nickname for her. "I could never ever regret us. I don't know what I would have done without you these past few months."

"You saved me." I could smell her tears in the air and I choked back a dry sob.

"One day you're going to imprint. And I'm going to be so, so jealous."

"I wish it could have been you. I love you, Bella. So much." He knew it was his last chance. He was giving her everything he had left.

"You're my best friend." He wasn't satisfied with this answer.

"Bella."

"I love you, too."

**JACOB**

"Jacob…" Edward closed his eyes in defeat. He thought that Bella was choosing me. I couldn't help but laugh. I knew Bella better than that. His head snapped up at my thoughts and over to Bella when she spoke again. "I'm so sorry." His eyes widened at her. It killed me that he was surprised. I had known from the moment I spotted his silver Volvo outside her house that it would only be a matter of time before she told me goodbye. I nodded my head and turned to leave. _If I ever hear that you hurt her again – well let's just say I won't leave quietly next time._ He broke our eye contact, too ashamed to do anything but nod slightly in agreement. I continued toward the Rabbit, but I didn't get in right away once I was there. I leaned my head on the door and held in a sob. It killed me that she didn't want me to fight for her. It killed me that I was nothing more than a placeholder until her precious leech came home. It killed me that she loved him like I loved her. It just… killed me. I heard her footsteps behind me and took a moment to take control of myself.

"Don't say anything, Bella. It'll only make this harder." I stopped her before she could start.

"Don't regret us. Please," she begged. Her voice was breaking with every syllable. I turned to face her. How could she ever think I was capable of regretting _anything_ about her?

"Bells… I could never ever regret us. I don't know what I would have done without you these past few months."

"You saved me." Tears began falling from her eyes and mine weren't far behind.

"One day you're going to imprint. And I'm going to be so, so jealous."

"I wish it could have been you. I love you, Bella. So much." I knew it wouldn't help, but I had to try.

"You're my best friend." Not good enough.

"Bella," I pleaded with her.

"I love you, too."

**BELLA**

"Jacob…" I began. I had to take a breath. This was going to hurt. "I'm so sorry." Edward's eyes met mine and widened in shock. Had he really thought for a moment that I wouldn't choose him in the end? As Jacob moved towards the door I felt like he was taking part of my heart with him. The farther he got the more my chest ached, like it was stretching to meet both the love of my life and the love of my existence.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Edward asked me.

"Yes." The word came out sharp, but I couldn't help but wonder if I had just made a mistake. "I'm going to talk to him." After all he had done for me, I could not – would not – let him leave like this. I looked at Edward and my feet refused to move me. What if he was not here when I came back? Would I ever be able to feel okay in his lack of presence or would I always fear that I would once again no longer be enough for him to stay?

"I'll wait." It's times like these I wondered if he really could read my mind. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere." It was difficult to trust him but I knew if I didn't then Jacob's heart would be breaking for nothing. I ran outside and slowed when I heard what I thought was a quiet sob. I inched closer and I knew he heard me when his head popped up. He didn't look at me.

"Don't say anything, Bella. It'll only make this harder." I struggled with what to do next. My natural instinct was to take his hand but I refrained.

"Don't regret us. Please." He turned around to face me.

"Bells… I could never regret us. I don't know what I would have done without you these past few months." I couldn't stop the tears before they fell freely.

"You saved me." His eyes became watery and his tears glistened in the moonlight.

"One day you're going to imprint," I told him. My confident voice was breaking as I told him things that I prayed would someday be true. "And I'm going to be so, so jealous."

"I wish it could have been you. I love you, Bella. So much."

"You're my best friend." I looked into his eyes and pleaded with him to understand the implications behind that statement. I prayed that he truly understood what he meant to me and how grateful I was that he was in my life. How lucky I was to have him as my everything for those short months behind us.

"Bella." He wanted more. I would give it to him.

"I love you, too."

I heard the Rabbit drive away and I leaned my forehead on the wooden door to my house. I ran through the evening's events in my mind, praying that I had made the right choice. The door opened and suddenly I was in Edward's arms again.

The end.


End file.
